sloppy joes

Dump recipes are the easiest and fastest way to stock your freezer full of meals. I’ve been making them for about a decade and though the name may not sound that appealing, it speaks to how fast these really are to make. Most of my dump recipes can be cooked in the crockpot, saving even more time.

When I wrote about my Chicken Dump Recipes, the response from busy women (and men) everywhere was overwhelming! They loved the ease of the system, but the resounding feedback was: more recipes! I have been working since then to create a book of Beef Dump Recipes for you. It contains 6 meal plans of 5 recipes each which include shopping lists for each plan and printable labels for each recipe. These beef dump recipes are easy to throw together and perfect for freezing. Freezer meals make a lovely gift for friends who are going through an illness or loss or adding to their family through birth or adoption. By doubling these recipes, you are able to assemble ten meals in just one hour! (note that this does not include the time to brown the beef)

The key to successful beef dump meals is to have all your ingredients out before you start assembling. This will save you time and as a result, you won’t have to run out to the store to pick up a missing ingredient!

Steps to making Beef Dump Meals:

1. Brown the beef. This can be done the day before and kept in the fridge until you are ready to use it. If you like, season the beef with a bit of salt and pepper while browning.
2. Get out all ingredients.
3. Label resealable freezer bags (you can use a permanent marker or print labels to stick on) with the name and cooking instructions.
4.  Prop the bottom of the bags flat and fold the top over, allowing them to stay open.
5. Add browned ground beef into each bag.
6. Once the meat is in all of the bags, dump the ingredients for the recipe into the bag.
7. When all the ingredients are in each bag, remove the excess air, seal the bags, lay flat, and freeze.

Below is a sample meal plan which uses ground beef for all of the recipes. Don’t forget to brown the beef before you start assembling. You can find the shopping list, labels, and other meal plans including those using other cuts of beef in the Beef Dump Recipes book.

Beef Hash

• 1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
• 500 grams frozen hash browns*
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix**
• 1 cup beef broth
• dash pepper

*This amount is the equivalent of half a 1 kg bag, so if you are making two of these recipes at once, buy one large bag and split it between the two meals. **I use an MSG-free, gluten-free dry onion soup mix.

Cooking instructions: Thaw. Bake at 350° for one hour, topping with grated cheese the last 10 minutes if desired or in the crockpot on low for 2-4 hours, topping with cheese the last 20 minutes if desired.

Taco Soup

• 1 1/2 lb. browned ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2x 14 oz. cans chili style beans
• 1x 12 oz. can kernel corn, drained
• 1x 14 oz. can tomato sauce
• 14 oz. salsa
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tsp. taco seasoning*

* store-bought taco seasoning can contain gluten, so I make my own.

Cooking instructions: Thaw. Heat in a large pot on stovetop on medium heat until the desired temperature or cook in the crockpot on low for 3-4 hours.

Sloppy Joes

• 1 1/2 lb. browned ground beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chili sauce
• 14 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce*
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• dash pepper

*Be sure to use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce if wanting this to be gluten-free.

Cooking instructions: Thaw. Heat in a pot on the stovetop over medium until desired heat is achieved or cook in slow cooker on low for 2-3 hours. Serve on bun halves.

Spaghetti Sauce

• 1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2x 14 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1x 5 1/2 oz. can tomato paste
• 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Tbsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. melted honey or sugar
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. basil
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• dash pepper

Cooking instructions: Thaw. Heat in a pot on the stovetop over medium until desired heat is achieved or cook in crockpot on low for 2-4 hours. Serve over pasta or gluten-free noodles.

Chili

• 1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 19 oz. can kidney beans with liquid
• 14 oz. can chili style beans with liquid
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 5 1/2 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• dash pepper
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup (this is my secret ingredient!)

Cooking instructions: Thaw. Heat in a large pot over medium until the desired temperature is reached or cook in crockpot on low for 3-5 hours.

Additional Notes:

• Provided that you plan the meals by common ingredients, it will save you even more money.
• All recipes can be made gluten-free by following the notes indicated.
• I heard from a reader who suggested using slow cooker liners. I had never heard of them, but it saves even more time because it eliminates the cleanup of the crockpot.
• Don’t forget to check out the Chicken Dump Recipes for even more options!

To get the recipes listed here along with free printable labels and a shopping list, sign up for our emails.

Be sure to check out my Beef Dump Recipes book which includes 30 recipes divided into 5 plans plus one bonus recipe. Each plan comes with printable grocery lists and printable labels. Read the list of included recipes. You can also purchase both the Beef Dump Recipes and Chicken Dump Recipes together for more meal options and savings!

Print

Beef Hash

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

 

Course: Main Course

Keyword: beef, hash

Servings: 6

: 326 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
• 500 grams frozen hash browns*
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix**
• 1 cup beef broth
• dash pepper
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

1. Add browned ground beef, frozen hash browns, onion, dry onion soup mix, beef broth, and pepper to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air and seal.

2. Place the shredded cheese in a medium resealable freezer bag and seal. Staple the bags together above the seal and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

1. Thaw. Bake at 350° for one hour, topping with grated cheese the last 10 minutes if desired or in the crockpot on low for 2-4 hours, topping with cheese the last 20 minutes if desired.

Recipe Notes

*This amount is the equivalent of half a 1 kg bag, so if you are making two of these recipes at once, buy one large bag and split it between the two meals. **I use an MSG-free, gluten-free dry onion soup mix.

Print

Taco Soup

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

 

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: soup, taco

Servings: 6

: 387 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. browned ground beef
• 1 onion diced
• 2 cans 14 oz. chili style beans
• 1 can 12 oz. kernel corn drained
• 1 can 14 oz. tomato sauce
• 14 oz. salsa
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tsp. taco seasoning*

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

1. Thaw.

2. Heat in a large pot on stovetop on medium heat until the desired temperature or cook in the crockpot on low for 3-4 hours.

Recipe Notes

*store-bought taco seasoning can contain gluten, so I make my own.

Print

Sloppy Joes

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

 

Course: Main Course

Keyword: beef, sloppy joes

Servings: 6

: 304 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. browned ground beef
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup chili sauce
• 14 oz. tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce*
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• dash pepper

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

1. Thaw. Heat in a pot on the stovetop over medium until desired heat is achieved or cook in slow-cooker on low for 2-3 hours. Serve on bun halves.

Recipe Notes

*Be sure to use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce if wanting this to be gluten-free.

Print

Spaghetti Sauce

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

 

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: sauce, spaghetti

Servings: 6

: 264 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1/2 green pepper chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 cans 14 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 can 5 1/2 oz. tomato paste
• 14 oz. diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Tbsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. melted honey or sugar
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. basil
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• dash pepper

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

1. Thaw.

2. Heat in a pot on the stovetop over medium until desired heat is achieved or cook in crockpot on low for 2-4 hours.

3. Serve over pasta or gluten-free noodles.

Print

Chili

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

 

Course: Main Course

Keyword: beef, chili

Servings: 6

: 235 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 can 19 oz kidney beans with liquid
• 1 can 14 oz chili style beans with liquid
• 1 can 28 oz diced tomatoes
• 1 can 5 1/2 oz tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• dash pepper
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup (this is my secret ingredient!)

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

1. Thaw.

2. Heat in a large pot over medium until the desired temperature is reached or cook in crockpot on low for 3-5 hours.